Top-ranked Alabama actually trailed Saturday night, for a short time. A very, very short time.

Fifteen seconds after the Crimson Tide fell behind for the first time this season – the first time in regulation time since Tennessee led 3-0 on Oct. 22, 2011 – Christion Jones returned a second-quarter kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown.

That’s all it took to spark Alabama (5-0, 2-0 in the SEC) from a 7-6 deficit to a 33-14 victory over Ole Miss (3-2, 0-1) at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

The Tide, a 30-point favorite, sputtered a little, giving up two long touchdown drives, but it intercepted passes on three consecutive second-quarter possessions.

AJ McCarron completed 22 of 30 passes while breaking the school record for consecutive attempts without an interception.

We gave the Tide straight A's in two of its first four games, but not this time.

On to the report card. ...

Offense

The Tide was held to a season-low 305 total yards and scored only two TDs on offense. Its longest gain was 23 yards. Grade: C

Defense

The Tide gave up two long touchdown drives, and that was alarming, but it didn’t allow much else. The Rebels gained 80 yards rushing on 35 attempts and 218 total yards. Three second-quarter interceptions sparked the Tide. Grade: B

Special teams

Jones turned the game around with a 99-yard second-quarter kickoff return for the go-ahead touchdown. Jeremy Shelley was 4-4 on FGAs. Cade Foster boomed more kickoffs. Dee Hart looked good returning punts. Grade: A

Coaching

The much bigger Tide didn’t dominate against a team that lost 66-31 to Texas two weeks earlier. The Rebels’ no-huddle offense caused some problems, but the Tide was fairly well prepared. Grade: B

Overall

Alabama didn’t bring its “A” game this time. A better opponent could have scared the Tide, but a better opponent probably would have brought out a better effort out of Alabama. It could be Ole Miss is better than oddsmakers thought. Grade: B